Synchronizing apparatus for alternating-current generators.



No. 668,430. Patented Fab. l9, I90l. H. w, YORK.-

SYNGHRONIZING APPARATUS FOR ALTERNATING CURRENT GENERATORS.

(Application filed m 11 1900.; (No Model.)

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H. w. YORK. sYNcHnomzms APPARATUS FOR ALTERNATING cummn GENERATORS.

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(No Model.)

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HERBERT W. YORK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SYNCHRONIZ ING APPARATUS FOR ALTERNATlNG-CURRENT GENERATORS;

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 668,430, dated February 19, 1961 Application filed May 11. 1900. Serial No. 16.274. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT W. YORK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Synchronizing Apparatus for Alternating-Current Generators, of which the following is a'specification.

My invention relates to novel systems and arrangements for bringing an alternatingcurrent generator into synchronism with one or more other alternating-current generators and for causing such generators when so synchronized for supplying a given set of circuits to divide up the load in any desired manner. In order to accomplish this result, I provide means for regulating the speed of the several driving-engines for the alternators, such means consisting, broadly, of a lever of variable length interposed in the valve mechanism of each engine, and, specifically, of devices for controlling the valve cut-offof each engine through the medium of asliding block within the rocker-arm upon the rockshaft of the said engine, the position of the said sliding block determining the width of the valveopening in a manner well understood. In carrying out my invention I increase its utility by putting the artificial means for moving the sliding block under the control of the switchboard operator. To this end I place upon the usual switchboard for an alternating-current-generating station a set of circuit-controllers, and I connect the said circuit-controllers with an electric motor at each engine, which motor is adapted to move the sliding block back and forth with the rocker-arm,and thus control the speed of the engine. In place of electric motors controlled by switches in the switchboard-room I may employ air-motors or other translators of power, placing the controlling devices for the said motors at or near the switchboard. In case it is not desirable to operate the block from a distance the same may be moved by hand by a system of levers, a hand-wheel, or any other suitable device.

It has been heretofore a matter of considerable difliculty, often requiring not a little time, to switch an alternating generator into circuit with one or more generators already running, owing principally to the fact that it is difficult to regulate the speed of the controlling-engines within a reasonable degree of precision. More than that, it has been difficult, for the same reason, to keep the generators at work undersubstantially the same conditions of load, inasmuch as an alternator connected ;with a lagging engine will maintain synchronism with the other alternators not because the engine keeps it up to its work, but because the other alternator-s will relieve it of a portion of its load or will supply it with sufficient current to operate it at equal speed as a motor. In this way it may happen that an alternating generator may shirk the greater part of its load while running at the same speed as the other machines. The readings of the animeter may show that such an alternator is supplying little or no current to the working circnit,which will indicate the need of pushing forward the driving-engine of the alternator until it holds the machine to its work. I find that by using a sliding block such as I have described and attaching it to a connecting-rod operated from an eccentric on the main engine-shaft I can regulate the speed of the engine with great certainty and can keep it regulated and the load divided with comparative ease. When I combine with the excellencies of the regulator as such the advantage of controlling it from the station-switchboard, I producea synchronizing system which is in practice exceedingly sensitive and exact in its operation, fully meeting all the requirements of actual service. A

By special devices not heretofore mentioned I make it possible for the switchboard operator to know the actual position of the sliding block between the extremes of its movement. Knowing the position of the block and in what direction it is necessary to move it in order to produce a hastening or slowing of the engines speed as the switchboard-indicators show to be required, the operator, by actuating a switch or set of switches in the proper manner, may cause the motor to move the said block in the desired direction. In

lieu of this arrangement or as a supplement cause the block itself at or near the extremes of its movement to operate electric-circuit closers controlling the circuits of the motorswitches. In this way the sliding block itself will automatically be maintained in some position intermediate between the extremes of its path of movement, or, if not that, then the tendency of the sliding block to move farther in the same direction when it has once reached the end of the slot and the strain upon the apparatus induced by such tendency will be prevented by the automatic opening of the motor-circuit. If the latter object only is desired to be attained, then the closure of the circuit by the sliding blocl: will simply reopen the motor-circuit, whereas if it is desired that the block should he carried in the reverse direction on reaching the limit of its movement the action of the circuit controlled by the block will be to reverse the switch completely and so cause the motor to run in the opposite direction.

For the purpose of illustration I have shown only one sliding block attached to a single engine and one switch on the switchboard for operating it. In practice every engine may have such a sliding blocl; and may also have its proper switch for accomplishing the movement of the block.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a general perspective view showing a stationswitchboard and two engines in a separate compartment operating alternating current generators, one of my sliding blocks being shown in connection with one of the said engines only. Fig. 2 illustrates in side elevation and partly in section the rocker-arm and sliding block, together with the motor and the motor-circuits, as well as the circuit-closers and apparatus for operating the motor-switch; and Fig. 3 is a perspective of the rocker-arm and the sliding block, showing in addition thereto the means I have devised for indicating the position of the block at any point of its travel.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, A and B are engines operating alternating-current generators O and D, respectively. The main shaftE of the engine A carries an eccentric a, rotating within a ring or eccentricstrap F, to which a connecting-rod or eccentric-rod G is attached. The upper end of the eccentric-rod is formed into a yoke f, and the opposite ends of the said yoke are pivoted to a sliding block H, which is adapted to slide back and forth within a slot or opening it in the rocker-arm I. The exact formation of this sliding block and the mode of its connection with the rocker-arm are clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, where the said block appears as of a T shape, adapted to rest against the guides J .I, formed on the side of the rockerarm. To one side of the sliding block I is secured a bracket 11, which carries an interternally-screw-threaded tube or nutj, adapted to engage with a screw-threaded rod or shaft K. The said rod or shaft is supported in journals 7t 7t on one side of the rocker-arm and carries at its inner end a gear-wheel 7a, which engages with a worm Z on the lower end of the shaft L. This last-named shaftmay be operated by an electric motor M, suitably mounted on a bracket m on the rocker-arm. The connection of the rockerarm with the rock-shaft and the control of the valve cut-off by the latter are in no way different from whatis ordinarily the construction in modern steam-engines, and itis not necessary to give details of such connection and operation.

In Figs. 1 and 2 is shown asix-point switch N, having the terminals n '71 n and it it n. By operating the switch to the right or left, as the case may be, the motor M will rotate in one direction or the reverse, and so move the sliding block as the operator desires. In the drawings the switch-arms are shown in contact with the terminals n 'It n. In this po sition the motor M may be assumed to operate in such a direction as to move the sliding block inward. In that case the reversal of the switch, so as to bring the lower arms thereof into contact with the terminals a n it, will, through the medium of the motor M, move the sliding block outward. Thus the position of the sliding block is under the certain control of the switch operator. If he finds that the engine is running too fast, he can cause the sliding block to be moved farther out, and so lessen the valve-opening in a manner well understood. If it is running too slow, he can reverse the operation.

Besides the switch devices I illustrate in Fig. 2 certain arrangements and devices for controlling the action of the said switch devices through the medium of the sliding block itself. For convenience I illustrate a converter O with its primary connected to two of the bus'bars, and having its secondary circuits so connected as to include two electromagnets or solenoids o o and two normally open switches s 3. These switches are in the form of push-buttons, in which the parts S and S, of metal, are held within insulating casings or thimbles and are pressed outward by spiral springs 20 21, respectively. The rear ends of the conductingpieces s and 5 stand in line with two metallic springs z; c. The springs U are connected, respectively, with binding-posts I), mounted on the rockerarm, while the springs n are joined to binding-posts 7), also mounted on the rocker-arm. The first-named binding-posts are connected, respectively, through the coils o 0 to one pole of the secondary of the converter 0, and the last-named binding-posts are both connected to the other pole of the secondary.

The operation of the parts just described is as follows: Should the sliding block II he moved far enough to the right to push the conducting-piece S against the springs t t" at that end of the slot, it is clear that a circuit will be closed through the coil 0, cansing this cell to be energized,while if the sliding block moves to the left-hand end of the ICO slot,so as to push the rods S against the springs o 1) at that end a circuitwill be closed which includes the coil 0. Now the coils 0 o are provided with coreszz, which are connected, respectively, to angular levers y y, pivoted at 00 00', respecctively, and having the ends remote from the cores connected pivotally to the straight lever u,which leveris attached, as shown, to the switch-arms N N N. The straight lever tt is formed in three pieces linked together, so as to allow suflicient play for operating the switch-arms. Now in case the coil or solenoid 0 is operated, as above described, by the movement of the sliding block H the core 2 will be drawn downward into the coil and will carry the switcharms out of contact with the terminals nn'n and into contact with the terminals 17. n H. On the other hand, should the coil 0' be energized the core 2 would be drawn down, and through the medium of the angular lever y and the straight lever u the position of the switches would be reversed and the circuit of the motor would be closed, so as to cause a reversal of its movement. Manifestly the arrangement might be such that instead of reversing the connections of the switch the action of the solenoids might simply break the motor-circuit, leaving the reversal of the movement to be done by the further operation of the main switch through the hand of the operator.

In Fig. 3 I show the means whereby the actual position of the sliding block can be determined within small limits. In this figure I have shown a series of lamps 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, each included in a branch of the secondary circuit of the converter 0. The other side of the converter is connected by wire 12 with an insulated contact-piece 13, attached to the sliding block H. This piece cooperates with a series of insulated contact-pieces let, 15, 16, 17, and 18, which are severally in circuit with the lamps 11, 10, 9, 8, and 7, respectively. In the position illustrated in the figure the contact-piece 13 is in contact with the piece 15. Accordingly the lamp 10 is supposed to be ignited. Should the sliding block move farther outward, the lamp 10 would be extinguished, and the lamps 9, 8, and 7 would be successively ignited. With these lamp devices on his switchboard the switch operator knows precisely where the sliding block is on each of the rocker-arms, and he can control these blocks accordingly. In Fig. l I have illustrated only the means for indicating when the sliding block has reached approximately the limits of its to and-fro movement. The devices illustrated in Fig. 3 may be substituted for this appai-atus.

NV in Fig. 1 represents two converters, each of which has its secondary in circuit with the same synchronizing-lamp w. The primaries of the said converters are connected with the main lead-wires of the same phase from the alternators O and D. On the station-switchboard is a four-point switch 20 for connecting the circuits of the alternator O with the busbars, and on the same switchboard is a switch 21, which performs the same office for the circuits of the alternator D. It will be seen that the last-named switch is closed, the said alternator D being in operation and supplying the circuits which lead from the bus-bars 1,.

2, 3, and 4. In other words, the engine B is at work and is driving the alternator D. Should it now become necessary to throw the alternator G into the circuit, the operation of accomplishing this is as follows: The engine A is set in operation and brought to the point where its speed is approximately the same as that of the engine B. By the use of the devices described in the present specification I am then able to bring the speed of the engine A to practically the exact speed of engineB in a very brief space of time. Now in order to test the electrical conditions of the circuit and to insure that the current-phases of the two generators shall be alike before the sec- 0nd alternator is thrown in I close the circuits of the alternators O and D through the converters W, thus utilizing the lamp to as a synchronizing test in the usual manner. So long as the speeds of the two alternators vary to an appreciable extent the current-phases also vary and the lamp to flickers rapidly; but as the speeds of the two driving-engines approximate each other more closely, at the same time bringing the current-phases more and more into unison, the flickering will be come slower and will gradually die down until the lamp indicates that the machines are running in the same phase for a sufficient period of time to make it possible to close the switch. At this moment the operator throws the alternator 0 into circuit by means of the switch 20. The new alternator having been thus thrown into circuit with one or more others, as described, synchronism is easily maintained and the load is kept properly divided by the operator at the switchboard, who by observing the indications of the various ainmeters (shown at 29, 30, 31, and 32, Fig. 1)'can tell which alternator is lagging or leading, whereupon he can take the necessary steps for putting it in condition to receive its share of the load, no more and no less. Ordinarily he will bring up the engine which drives the lagging alternator to a little higher speed, although he may, if the circumstances seem to call for it, reduce the speed of the engine driving the leading alternator. In either case he will accomplish what he wishes by properly shifting the position of the sliding block in the rocker-arm of the engine which-drives one or the other of the said alternators.

The invention claimed is 1. Acut-otfforsteam-enginescontrolled by a sliding block within the rocker-arm upon the rock-shaft, together with circuitcontr0llers at different points along the path of the said sliding block, the said circuit-controllers &

being operatively connected with indicating devices, as set forth.

2. An alternating-current generator and a steam-engine operating the same, in combination with an eccentric on the main shaft of the engine and a connecting-rod joined to a sliding block Within the rocker-arm upon the rock-shaft controlling the cu t-off, the said sliding block being operated by a motor, and a hand-switch for controlling the said motor.

3. In an alternating-current system of electrical distribution, an alternator and a steamengine operating the same in combination with an electric motor controlling the said engine through the medium of a sliding block, a converter Whose primary is supplied by the said alternator and in the circuit of Whose secondary is a pair of magnets controlling the motor-switch, and push-buttons in circuit with the said magnets and located in the path of movement of the said sliding block.

at. In an alternating-current system of electrical distribution, an alternator and a steamengine operating the same, in combination with an electric motor controlling the said engine through the medium of a sliding block, a switch in the motor-circuit and a magnet controlling the said switch and automatically operated by the movements of the said sliding block.

5. In an alternating-current system of electrical distribution, an alternator and an engine operating the same, in combination with an electric motor controlling the said engine through the medium of a sliding block, a switch in the motor-circuit and means controlled by the movements of the sliding block for operating the said switch.

6. An alternating-current generator and an engine operating the same in combination with the sliding block controlling the cut-off of the said engine, circuit-controlling devices at the limits of the excursion of the said block, the said circuit-controlling devices being in circuit with one or more motors for controlling the speed of the engine.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 9th day of May, A. D. 1900.

HERBERT W. YORK.

Witnesses:

GEORGE H. STOOKBRIDGE, Wu. H. OAPEL. 

